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For Evangelicals–and I’m among them–Jesus and the Bible are high on the priority list. Not just evangelicals but all Christians believe Jesus is the Savior, and that the Bible tells us about him. But watching how these two priorities come together–watching how Jesus read his Bible (the Christian Old Testament)–can create some awkward moments, because Jesus read his Bible in ways evangelicals are taught over and over again not to read it. 1. Jesus didn’t stick to what “the Bible... Read more

Growing up Mormon in rural Alabama sheltered me from many lessons that my friends and cousins had learned at an even younger age—some trivial (like how to cuss) and some more vital (like how to stand up for yourself, even when you’re afraid). In time, life would teach me these lessons and so many more. In the sixth grade I realized I was gay. Based on the intensity of their taunts, my classmates knew this long before I did. I... Read more

Over the last week, I have been seeing a confluence of concerns regarding religious vitality in America, specifically pointing to the diminishing numbers of “cults” appearing in the news media. In the New York Times Op-Ed section, Ross Douthat lamented the loss, and pointed to others, stating “The decline of cults … might actually be a worrying sign for Western culture, an indicator not only of religious stagnation but of declining creativity writ large.” Douthat links to a talk Philip... Read more

I think we’re ready to get into the philosophical arguments about religion now. This is my first philosophical post about the nature of religion, but it won’t be my last. I would appreciate any feedback you may have. With that, let’s get to work, shall we? What I’m presenting here is the case Emile Durkheim makes. As a sociologist he removes all metaphysics and spirituality, and evaluates religion as merely a result of social context. Religions are found at the... Read more

A few months ago, I sat in church with tears streaming down my face like waterfalls. Just days before, I had been utterly disappointed and hurt by someone who I considered an ally simply because they said they were committed to racial reconciliation (that was my first mistake). Though I had experienced similar situations before. the familiarity of this injustice did not minimize the pain – in fact, its strange familiarity intensified the feelings of hopelessness that threatened to swallow... Read more

Curtis Penfold got kicked out of his apartment, fired from his job, and left Brigham Young University all in the same week.He left BYU—a private university operated by The Church of Latter-day Saints—because he had started to disagree with some of the Church’s views, causing tension between him and school officials. His exit from the school caused him to lose his on-campus job, and he subsequently resigned from the Mormon Church. Resigning from the church resulted in getting kicked out... Read more

I was raised as a Lutheran and my life growing up was filled with religion; I not only went to church and Sunday school every week, I also went a Lutheran school. This meant that I had religion class every day in school and also that the values my school proclaimed were based in the Lutheran doctrine. The messages I was receiving about people, society, love, acceptance, my body, sexuality and more were coming from this perspective. You can probably... Read more